--- title: "Bernie Sanders Accuses Google of 'Extortion' Over AI Use in Schools, Says Tech Giants Can't Be Trusted to Regulate Themselves" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/304271683.md" description: "Senator Bernie Sanders accused Google of 'extortion' for threatening to cut off Search access to schools that restrict AI use, arguing tech giants cannot self-regulate. He demanded an immediate pause on AI adoption in education. This follows similar criticism from NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Richard Blumenthal regarding Google's push for AI in classrooms, despite Google's claim that new settings offer schools more choice." datetime: "2026-11-04T11:50:02.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/304271683.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/304271683.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/304271683.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # Bernie Sanders Accuses Google of 'Extortion' Over AI Use in Schools, Says Tech Giants Can't Be Trusted to Regulate Themselves Sen. **Bernie Sanders** (I-Vt.) accused **Alphabet Inc.**’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) **Google** of using its influence over schools to push artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, warning that technology companies cannot be trusted to regulate themselves. ## **Sanders Blasts Google’s AI Policy In Schools** On Tuesday, in a post on **X**, Sanders criticized President **Donald Trump’**s approach to AI regulation, referring to Trump’s argument that technology executives could regulate themselves because they “love our country.” “Now, Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search,” Sanders wrote. “That’s not love. That’s extortion,” he added, accusing the technology giant of pressuring schools over their AI policies. Sanders concluded his post with a direct demand: “PAUSE AI NOW.” Google did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment. > President Trump claimed that AI oligarchs could regulate themselves because they "love our country." > > Now, Google is threatening schools: if you stop your students from using AI, we will cut off your access to Google Search. > > That’s not love. That’s extortion. > > PAUSE AI NOW. > > — Sen. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) November 3, 2026 **Read Also: Anthropic's 'Deviously Self-Serving' Voting Structure ‘Would Put Kim Jong Un to Shame,’ says Aswath Damodaran** ## **Lawmakers Criticize Google’s AI Push In Schools** New York City Mayor **Zohran Mamdani** accused Google of using its “monopoly power to force AI” into public schools, arguing that education should serve students rather than “grow the profit margins of Big Tech.” Google announced that it would disable Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom and Search by default for K-12 student accounts, allowing schools to re-enable the services. The company said the changes offered schools “more choice, not less” and introduced AI features designed to guide students through problems. Last month, Sen. **Richard Blumenthal** (D-Conn.) criticized Google’s classroom AI expansion, warning that it was “damaging students’ academic & emotional well-being” and urging the company to “be responsible.” ## **AI Gains Ground In Education** Earlier this year, Alphabet CEO **Sundar Pichai** announced that students could take free, full-length SAT practice tests through Google’s Gemini app, using vetted material from The Princeton Review. The tool offered instant feedback, identified knowledge gaps, and helped students develop personalized study plans. Last year, billionaire investor **Bill Ackman** backed Alpha School, praising its AI-powered education model, which limited academic instruction to two hours daily, followed by four hours of leadership and life-skills training. Founded by **MacKenzie Price**, the private school operated campuses in Texas, Florida, and California and planned to open a K-8 campus in New York City. Annual tuition ranged from $40,000 to $65,000. ***Disclaimer*:** *This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.* **Read Also: Google Tests New AI Agent To Take On OpenClaw With Advanced Task Automation: Report** Image via Shutterstock ### Related Stocks - [GOOG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOG.US.md) - [GOOGL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOGL.US.md) - [GGLL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GGLL.US.md) - [GGLS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GGLS.US.md) - [GOIB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOIB.US.md) - [GOOL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOL.US.md) - [GOOP.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOP.US.md) - [GOOW.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOW.US.md) - [GOOX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOX.US.md) - [GOOY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOOY.US.md) - [GOU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GOU.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [Google Says Demand Will Swallow Every Data Center It Builds](https://longbridge.com/en/news/303998103.md) - [Google hasn’t figured out how to make AI pay like its search engine](https://longbridge.com/en/news/304273400.md) - [Reddit is going logged-in only. 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